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❤️ Why you'll love this recipe...
- simple Mexican inspired soup
- easy to make - just throw it together in the crock pot
- light and fresh
Chicken pozole verde is the best ending to a cold, rainy day. Fall-apart-tender chicken, chewy hominy, and plenty of southwestern spices and herbs come together in this spicy, brothy soup to create a mouthful of magic.
And it's my favorite remedy for a cold.
🧾 Ingredients
You can add other green vegetables as you wish - think cabbage, spinach, zucchini, celery, etc.
- Poblano peppers are mild in heat but so delicious! You can substitute Bell peppers if you can't find poblanos or if you don't care for the spicy heat.
- Chicken breast is what I use but you can use boneless thighs if you like.
Optional Garnishes
Once the pozole (posole) is finished you serve it up in soup bowls and float your favorite garnishes on top. Here are the ones I like best -
Cojita cheese is a crumbly Mexican cheese that's very similar in taste and texture to feta. It's easy to find here in Texas but if you have trouble getting it where you are just substitute feta.
It adds a salty bite to the recipe that really gives it a boost of flavor.
Some people like finely sliced cabbage on top.
🔪 Instructions
Note: This is an overview of the instructions. The full instructions are in the green recipe card below.
- Add all of the ingredients except the garnish to your slow cooker.
- Cover and cook on the low setting for 8 hours.
- Shred the chicken with 2 forks before serving.
- Garnish with toppings of choice, squeezing a little lime juice into each bowl.
💭 Tips
Expert Tip:If you want to keep the spicy level down then be sure to seed and remove membranes before adding them to the soup. ALWAYS wear gloves when working with hot peppers!
- For even more flavor you can use bone in chicken and then remove the bones and any skin before serving.
- If you like cilantro be generous with it.
- To freeze pozole let it cool to room temperature and then add to firm freezer containers - I wouldn't recommend freezer bags. To thaw: place in the refrigerator overnight and heat before serving.
This is seriously such a simple meal that you'll be making it all winter long! This green chicken pozole recipe is light and fresh plus it's even better the second day!
👩🍳 FAQs
Here are the questions I am most frequently asked about this recipe.
Either is correct. In Central Mexico you're more likely to see it spelled pozole and in the border areas it's often posole.
There are two kinds of pozole. Red pozole (or pozole roja) is usually made with ground chiles and pork. Pozole verde is most often made with chicken and a clear broth.
Yes! This recipe freezes well for up to 3 months.
Hominy is dried corn that's been soaked in lime. It puffs up and gets soft and chewy. You can usually find it in a can in the grocery store.
Nothing. Without hominy pozole is just chicken soup.
🍽️ Serve with...
I like to keep it simple. This is an easy soup -- it's so flavorful that it's a shame to add too many other flavors. Here are some of my favorite dishes to serve with chicken pozole verde.
- Warm flour tortillas and butter.
- I also like the crunch of tortilla chips with this.
- Sopapillas are good anytime. When I was in Santa Fe they served them like bread -without sugar.
- A salad on the side is always welcome.
- Finish dinner and relax into the evening with mugs of spiked Mexican hot chocolate or apple cider sangria.
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📖 Recipe
Green Chicken Pozole (Pozole Verde)
Print Add to Collection Pin RecipeEquipment Needed
Ingredients
- 1 cup onion, diced. Use more if desired.
- 1 poblano pepper, cored and diced
- 1 jalapeno pepper, sliced thinly in rounds or diced (be sure to remove seeds)
- 3 cloves garlic, minced
- 12 ounces green chiles, (canned) diced
- 6 cups chicken stock
- 28 ounces white hominy, drained and rinsed
- 3 boneless chicken breasts, or thighs
- 2 teaspoons ground cumin
- Salt to taste
Optional Garnish
- avocado, diced
- lime wedges
- cilantro, chopped
- cotija cheese, crumbled. Feta can be substituted.
- cabbage, shredded
- radishes, thinly sliced
Instructions
- Add all of the ingredients except the garnish to your slow cooker.
- Cook on low for 8 hours.
- Shred the chicken with 2 forks before serving.
- Garnish with toppings of choice, squeezing a little lime juice into each bowl.
Stovetop Instructions
- Season chicken with salt and pepper.
- Heat a little oil in a heavy skillet until rippling.
- Brown chicken on both sides.
- Turn heat down and cook until cooked through (165F)
- Add pozole ingredients to a stockpot.
- Bring to a simmer.
- Simmer for 10 minutes.
- Dice or shred the cooked chicken and add it to the pot.
- Simmer 10 more minutes, or until vegetables are tender.
- Serve with garnishes as above.
Notes
- Always, always, always wear gloves when working with jalapenos. Trust me.
- For even more flavor you can use bone in chicken and then remove the bones and any skin before serving.
- If you like cilantro be generous with it.
- To freeze pozole let it cool to room temperature and then add to firm freezer containers - I wouldn't recommend freezer bags. To thaw: place in the refrigerator overnight and heat before serving.
Nutrition Facts
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We'll never share your email or send you spam. Pinkie swear.First published December 28, 2015. Last updated September 11, 2021 improve editorial content.
Rachel
I'm allergic to corn. What would be a good substitute for hominy? No need for low carb.
Marye Audet
You can add beans in place of it... 🙂 Garbanzo would be the most like the hominy.
Beth Thomas
Wow. The smells of it cooking are heavenly. Taking a small bite before serving it to the family; just to correct the seasoning if I need to. I I think it tastes marvelous! I'm going to serve it over a bed of spinach in a deep bowl so that it wilts the spinach and becomes a really wonderful well rounded soup.
Marye Audet
Sounds great, Beth. Loved the Facebook pics!
Beth Thomas
YUM!
Would cauliflower come close totasting like the hominy? If not, what LC food item will?
Marye Audet
That's what I am thinking.
Cynthia | What A Girl Eats
this looks like a perfect dish for new year's day! I always make my white chicken chili on new year's, so maybe it's a mexican food thing! I'll have to try yours!
Marye Audet
I love white chicken chili! This is lighter with a lot of the same flavors.
Jennifer @NourishedSimply
I have never heard of this soup, but sure I would love it! I am really obsessed with my slow cooker and looking for recipe.
Marye Audet
You need to try this! So good
Patricia @ Grab a Plate
Mmm! I love pozole and I haven't made it in such a while! You verde version looks really great -- especially made in the slow cooker!
Marye Audet
Thanks! It's one of my favorites.
Laura Tabacca
OK I adore my slow cooker and you are first person to give me the slightest twinge of buyer's remorse. IT HOOKS UP TO YOUR WIFI????? Wowza!
I love pozole and this one looks fantastic! I especially love that it is a green one.
Marye Audet
Thanks Laura. It's so good on a cold day.. and I am so wanting that slow cooker!
Kimberly @ The Daring Gourmet
Hominy is such a fun and delicious ingredient - this soup sounds delicious!
Marye Audet
Thank you!
Kathy Hester
I love pozole and can't wait to fill my slow cooker with this recipe!
Marye Audet
Slow cookers make everything so easy!
Sara
This sounds like the perfect way to warm up on a cold day and I love how it's made in the slow cooker!
Marye Audet
It is really amazing. 🙂